The Digital Parent Trap

Should your kids avoid tech--or embrace it?

Even before Dave Crandall's kids were born, he knew they'd be weaned on technology. "My second son--we wanted to name him Kyle," he recalls. Problem was, that Web domain kylecrandall.com and Gmail address were taken, and Crandall wanted him to have both. "So we went with Cole instead," he says.

"Of course," he adds quickly, "we liked that name too."

By the ripe age of 3, Cole--like siblings Chase and Zoey Grace--had more than just the keys to a burgeoning digital empire. He'd learned actionable tech skills, like how to create a password, log in to a computer and...